The Stanford bench reacts to a three-point shot in the first half. Stanford Cardinal played the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Elite Eight game at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif., on Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

Stanford's Bonnie Samuelson (41) puts up a shot in the first half. Stanford Cardinal played the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Elite Eight game at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif., on Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

Amber Orrange (33) tries to drive to the basket but is fouled by Britany Rountree (11) as Stephanie Mavunga (1) defends in the first half. Stanford Cardinal played the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Elite Eight game at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif., on Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

Stanford forward Chiney Ogwumike celebrates as she cuts down part of the net after Stanford's 74-65 win over North Carolina in a regional final at the NCAA women's college basketball tournament in Stanford, Calif., Tuesday, April 1, 2014. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press

Stanford forward Chiney Ogwumike celebrates as she cuts down part...

Image 8 of 25

Apr 1, 2014; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal forward Mikaela Ruef (3) reacts with guard Amber Orrange (33) after a basket against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half in the finals of the Stanford regional in the 2014 NCAA Tournament at at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Photo: Kelley L Cox, Reuters

Apr 1, 2014; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal forward Mikaela...

Image 9 of 25

The Cardinal women celebrate after a foul was called on North Carolina late in the second half. Stanford defeated North Carolina Tar Heels 74-65 to advance to the Final Four at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif., on Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

Chiney Ogwumike (13) tries to throw up the ball but is called for an offensive foul in the first half. Stanford Cardinal played the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Elite Eight game at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif., on Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

Amber Orrange, left, celebrates with Chiney Oqwumike, right, after Oqwumike was fouled and the basket counted late in the second half before the Stanford Cardinal defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 74-65 to advance to the Final Four at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif., on Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

FILE - In this March 30, 2014 file photo, Stanford forward Chiney Ogwumike (13) shoots against Penn State forward/center Tori Waldner (44) during the first half of a regional semifinal game at the NCAA college basketball tournament in Stanford, Calif. Ogwumike was selected to The Associated Press women's basketball All-America team, released Tuesday, April 1, 2014. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

Photo: Jeff Chiu, Associated Press

FILE - In this March 30, 2014 file photo, Stanford forward Chiney...

Image 13 of 25

The Cardinal women celebrate on the court after they defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 74-65 to advance to the Final Four at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif., on Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

Chiney Ogwumike hoists the NCAA Division Trophy at mid court after the Stanford Cardinal defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 74-65 to advance to the Final Four at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif., on Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

Chiney Ogwumike holds up a piece of the basket after she cut it down after the Stanford Cardinal defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 74-65 to advance to the Final Four at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif., on Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

Mikaela Ruef (3) passes the ball to Lili Thompson (1) in the second half before the Stanford Cardinal defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 74-65 to advance to the Final Four at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif., on Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

Mikaela Ruef (3) passes the ball to Lili Thompson (1) in the second...

Image 19 of 25

The Stanford bench to a shot late in the second half as they went on to defeat the North Carolina Tar Heels 74-65 to advance to the Final Four at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif., on Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer hugs Chiney Ogwumike after the Stanford Cardinal defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 74-65 to advance to the Final Four at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif., on Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

Michael Ruef hugs his daughter Mikaela Ruef after the Stanford Cardinal defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 74-65 to advance to the Final Four at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif., on Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer hugs her mother Rita VanDerveer, center, and sister Heidi VanDerveer, right, after the Stanford Cardinal defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 74-65 to advance to the Final Four at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif., on Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

Lili Thompson, left, hugs her father, Greg Thompson after the Stanford Cardinal defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 74-65 to advance to the Final Four at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif., on Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

Stanford's Amber Orrange 933) steals the ball from North Carolina's Stephanie Mavunga (1) in the first half. Stanford Cardinal played the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Elite Eight game at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif., on Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

It was rough, it was tough, and it was loud in Maples Pavilion. But the season's not over.

Stanford needed a huge game from an unsung player, Mikaela Ruef, to pull out a 74-65 win over North Carolina on Tuesday night and punch a ticket for the school's sixth Final Four in seven years.

Chiney Ogwumike, held to four points in the first half by the Tar Heels' rugged front line, scored 16 in the second half - finishing with 20 points and 10 rebounds. But for once she shared top billing.

Ruef, like Ogwumike playing her final game at Maples, had a career-high 17 points and nine rebounds. The 6-foot-3 center hit three three-pointers, one more than she had made in Stanford's previous 36 games.

"There's no greater feeling I've had in my entire time here," said Ruef, named the most outstanding player of the regional.

Stanford missed the Final Four last season, which ended with a disappointing loss to Georgia in the regional semifinals in Spokane, Wash. This time the Cardinal hosted the regional, and before a crowd of 6,145, they made the most of it.

"When I saw that we were going to host the regional," Ruef said, "I was determined to play here and win here and go to the Final Four."

In Nashville, Stanford (33-3) will play top-ranked and defending champion Connecticut (38-0) in the semifinals at 6 p.m. Sunday. Notre Dame (36-0) takes on Maryland (28-6) at 3:30 p.m. The final is Tuesday.

The Huskies drilled the Cardinal 76-57 on UConn's home court early in the season, but Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said her team is much improved since then.

"The fact we played them already helps us," she said. "They're big and they're talented." While most people expect to see UConn and Notre Dame in the final, she said, "I think last year everybody thought Baylor was going to win it, and they didn't."

For much of the first half, it appeared that the fourth-seeded and 12th-ranked Tar Heels (27-10) were primed for an upset. They led by 13 after seven minutes. Freshman guard Allisha Gray drilled three of her team's seven three-pointers and had 15 points to pace North Carolina to a 36-30 halftime lead.

Ogwumike took just four shots, made two of them and had just four rebounds. As the team walked to the locker room at the break, her older sister, Nneka, the former Stanford star now in the WNBA, grabbed her by the arm in the hallway.

"She told me to relax," Chiney said.

With North Carolina leading 42-36, Ruef hit her third trey of the game, and Ogwumike scored three straight baskets. The one that put Stanford ahead 43-42 was a layup on a nice feed from Ruef just after Ruef had pulled down a tough rebound at the other end.

North Carolina wasn't through, though. It took a 63-62 lead on a three by Jessica Washington with four minutes left. But Stanford outscored the Tar Heels 12-2 the rest of the way.

"Heart, heart," Ogwumike summed up what she considered the difference in the game. "People were making plays based on heart."

Stanford had five players score in double figures. Amber Orrange had 14, Bonnie Samuelson 13 and Lili Thompson 10. Gray finished with 19 to lead the Tar Heels, while freshman standout Diamond DeShields, shaking off knee and ankle injuries from her previous game, had 13.

Associate head coach Andrew Calder became emotional at the postgame news conference. Calder, who filled in this season as head coach Sylvia Hatchell underwent treatment for leukemia, apologized to Tar Heel fans for not getting the team to the Final Four.

"Obviously having a Hall of Fame coach on the bench might have made a difference," he said.